Dallas Morning News - December 17, 2020
Holiday Gifts and TORC
Here's a little holiday advice. Garden centers are terrific places to find not only local and regional books but many other interesting and creative holiday gifts. One of my favorite holiday gifts is a basket of organic products like gardening books, orange oil, earthworm castings, kelp, lava sand and compost tea.
 Hori hori, a Japanese planting knife |
A basket of garden tools can include gloves, interesting trowels (my favorite is the hori hori or Japanese planting knife), folding hand saws, hand pruners (best for those that use a scissor action, trombone sprayer (many gardeners haven't even seen these) and interesting plant labels so you can remember the names of the plants you bought. Another basket could be full of pet products – dog and cat toys, herbal shampoos, flea and tick products (the safe gentle natural kind of course), flea combs, brushes and collars.
 The Hudson trombone has handles and is nickel-plated |
Another unusual gift idea relates to natural organic education. It might surprise you to know that there are no colleges or universities (2 or 4 year) that have natural organic programs. They all teach the use of synthetic fertilizers and toxic chemical pesticides - if they teach horticulture and agriculture at all.
 Tree and turf planting - among the subjects covered in the TORC on-line course |
Some colleges such as Oregon State, UC Davis, Washington State, Oberlin College, Utah State, Prescott College and the U. of Idaho mention organics, but they have no comprehensive programs and use terms like "sustainability," "integrated pest management," "environmental policies" and other terms not really part of a true organic program. Cornell mentions organics as concept but doesn't actually have a degree program.
 Regional gardening books available from local garden centers make excellent holiday gifts |
This is why Texas Organic Research Center (TORC) was established. It's a 501(c)(3) non-profit research institute focused on the effectiveness of the organic approach in gardening, landscape management and agribusiness. One of its missions is to organize and present research that already exists showing the dangers and negative aspects of the toxic chemistry programs as well as the benefits of the natural organic approach.
TORC also functions as a clearinghouse for information on organic products and techniques. Another function is education. It maintains and updates a concise listing of acceptable and unacceptable products in an organic program. And TORC provides education through the website – TexasOrganicResearchCenter.org as well as the 15 chapter on-line Organic Certification Course. Other courses are currently being completed.
 TORC On-Line Course on the Natural Organic Approach to Gardening and Landscaping |
An unusual holiday gift to consider might be one of the courses. The Natural Organic Certification Course covers everything from soil building and planting techniques to tree care and pest control. With so much stay-at-home created by COVID-19, TORC offers a buy-one-course-and-give-one free to a friend. Because the course is presented through TORC, the cost is tax free and tax deductible.
What could be a better holiday gift than helping spread the word about how to be more successful with gardening and landscaping while making your property, your family, your pets and yourself more healthy?
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